Fuse for projectiles



i 0er. 9, 192s.

' 1,687,341 w. LuKENs ET AL FUSE FOR PROJECTILES Filed Feb. s, 1926 2 sheets-sheet 1 I .wm

Oct. 9, 1928. 1,687,341

w. L, LUKENS ET ALs FUSE FOR PROJECTILES Filed Feb. 5, 1926. 2 Sheetsvsheet 2 0 f/'yw lllllllll Il INVENTORS /l/'llllJw/Z. Lez/5M awa? ma. @af

4fit) the recess l13. 'lhe cylinder 21 provided with a plurality of radial recesses 27 which containxa high explosive material-similar-to the booster c 'arge'. The recesses 27 are opeu to the exterior ofthe'cylinder and are bored y to such depthy that there is a thin wall o f Inaterial 28 provided to normally prevent 'i com,`

munication between the lchamber 23 and the.v

recesses 27 rIn Fig. 6 we show a modification in the. construction vof vthe cylinder wall.. In

.this modification the recesses 27 are bored through the .wall of the cylinder and a shoulder 27y is formedv in said recesses. A disc2'8k is pressedin place against the shoulder .27

and constitutes closures for. said recesses.

' An apertured diaphragm 21 is disposed 'between vthe end of the cylinder 21 and a shoulder formedA on thebody -and is provided' with aiiopening coaxial'w'ith butxof somewhatlessA diameter than the diameter of: the

passageway 22 so as to provide an annular ,shoulderl 30 which` extends inwardly beyond the wall of the passageway. A detonatorV carrier 31 is slidingly mountedin the passageway 22 and is provided with anannulai.v

f shoulder32 whichengages the forward face of the diaphragm21^tolimit the rearward movement ofy said carrier.i A collar 33- adaptedto engage the shoulderY 30 isformed on the latter member to limit its forward movement.

s The carrier 31 is bored axiallyto provide a flame conduit 34 which .communicates the primer y3.5', mounted 'at the forwardy end of said carrier, with the detonator 36 crimped to vtherrear end thereof. A cylindrical safety cage 37 is'inter'posedbetween the carrier- 31` and the striker 17 so that the forward movementk of the former lcauses a correspondingv movement of thexlatter.I The cage 37 is`indented circumferentially yat its rear end to provide an annular-abutment 38 .which en-V gages kthe forward end of the carrier 31.

The wall of the cage 37 is slit longitudinallyf I for a distance from its forward end to providea plurality of resilient finger-S39 ywhich are indented circumferentially at theirffori ward ends-to yieldingly engage the groove .19

formed in ythe striker'f17. The extreme ends Y of the lcage 37 are flared outwardly beyond the periphery of the cage .and normally engage the wall of the recess 11 to rigidly maintain the 'lingers 39 in'clamping relation to the striker 17 and thereby prevent: relative movement between'the vcage 'and the striker until the firing mechanism is moved forwardly a :predetermined distance to its firing position, as hereinafter described.' v f In order to prevent'the movement of the ai firing mechanismb'efore the projectile is fired from 'a gun thereis'provided an inertia safety arrangement comprising a stirrup'member 40 andia'n annularinertia member 41. The lattersurrounds the carrier 31 and its.forward faceA normally abuts the end yof the recess 12. The stirrup member 40 is crimped to the for# movement ofthe carrier 31.

liquely thereto.

ward'end of the carrier and its rearwardly extending legs 42 are'fl'ared outwardly to norshown and described in the aforementioned pending application. 'A coil spring 43 is interposed between the inertia member 41 and theV diaphragm 21;. y Y. 1

The detent member 44 comprises a cylin silient finger portions 46 which are bent radially outward .from the body portiony and'ob They body portion isl crimped in a .groove 47 formedin-A the carrier 31 and the finger portionsextend outwardly from the latter. Referring to Fig. 7

we show` an alternate detent device comprising a: split resilient ring 44w.hich is sprung over the carrier `31 and engages the groove 47 formed inthe carrier. The. ring 44 is drical body port-ion 45 and aplurality of renormally maintained und-err initial compress sion by the diaphragm 21.

Assuming the fuse to be in a safe oriunarmed condition, as shown in Fig. 1, and assuming that` the detonator explodes rema- .turely, the strong wallsof the cham er 21 would contain the gases generated bysuch explosion and any through the clearancefbetween the walls of the passageway 22 and the carrier 31 would Y gases which may VVescape lim' not have sudicient strength toA rupture-walls l 28 at the bottom of the recesses 27.

Y Before loading the projectile into the gun the cap 15 may be removed if a light impact is'expected. However, ifa heavy impact,V is to be encountered the fuseV will function without the removal of the. cap.y

' Vhen the projectile is fired and during the f, initial acceleration thereof, the member 41,

due to its inertia, moves rearwardly relatively to the forwardly moving parts, compresses the spring 43 and at the same time disrupts the legs 42 of thestirrup 40 which still retain a certain amount of resiliency so that when themember 41 has-reached its rear'- y Y .ward position, .said legs spring, outwardly y into'the groove 48 -formed in saidmember.

Atthe cessation of the acceleration of the projectile the spring 43 returns the :inertia member 41 to its original .position anddue to the engagement of the stirrup 40 withr said y member the carrier 31 is movedv forwardly into the position shown in Fig. 2. During 1 the forward/movement of the carrier 31 the finger portionsf46 -of the detent 44` squeeze .through the opening formed in the fdiaphragm 21 and spring to their open position front of the shoulder 30 when the carrier has reached its forward position.l In our modified constructionk shown in Fig.' 7, when the carrier 31 is. at its forward position the-1 ring' elet is released from its engagement with thediaphragm 21v and it expands radially beyond the shoulder 30 of said diaphragm kclose proximity to the recesses 27 and, f through the medium ofV the cage 37, the

striker 17 is moved forwardly from the shoulder 16 and it will also be noted that the ila-red ends of the fingers 39 are placed opposite the annular recess 19 formed in the bodylO.

Vlhen the several parts are in the position.'

'ust described the fuse is in its armed condit 7 tiong flared ends of the fingers 39 beingopposite the recess 47 are. no longer restricted against radial movement and the striker 17 is yieldingly supported thereby. At impact the in turn, explodes the main charge of the projectile in the well known manner.

lt will be seen from'the foregoing` descrip-` tion that we have devised a fuse 'for projectiles that is safe undernornial conditions and positive in its action. At comparatively vlight impacts the primer is rigidly supported so that it 'receives thev full effective' blow ofthe striker and then again at ycomparatively heavy impacts 'the detonator is positively preventedr from ybeing returned from'its armed to its safe position by the forccsof impact.

two forms, it will be obvious to those skilled in theart that itis not so limited but 1s susp ceptible of various otherchanges and modifiably mounted in said body, means to move said mechanism relatively to said body during the flight of the projectile, and means to positively preventthe return movement of a portion of said mechanism.

2. In a fuse for projectiles the combination with a fuse body, of a striker member slidably mounted in said body, a primer carrierslidlilhile wehave shown our invention inbut ably mounted-in said body, a safety member normally separating said striker and said carrier, vmeans to move all of said members relatively to said body during Ythe vflight of the projectile, and means to posi'tive'ly prevent the return movementofsaid primer carmen f 3. In a fuse for projectiles 'the combination with a fuse body, of a striker member slidably lmounted l'in' said: body, a primer carrier slidably mounted in said body, a safety member normally preventing relative movement between thestriker and the carrier, means to normally prevent the movem'e'n't'of` f thev carrier relative to said body Abut rendered ineffective` during the acceleration of Ethe p'r'ojectile, means energized during said acceleration for moving said carrier relative to said body during the flight of the projectile, and means to positively prevent the return -move'- ment of said carrier towards its original position.` f v l ln a fuse for projectiles the combination with a fuse body, of a-iiring mechanism slidably mounted in said body, ay hollow-member disposed in said body and having a-porti'on of its wall considerably weaker' than .the major portion thereof, a booster charge cont`ain-' ed in said fuse body and surrounding said`= hollow member, a detonator normally dis-k posed in said hollow7 member and in a posil tion remote fromsaid weakenedportion andv means adapted to move saidl detonator into close proximity toV said weakened 'portion after thedischarge of the proj ectilefrom the gun. l

In a fuse for projectiles the combination" with a fuse body, of a firing mechanism slidably mounted in said'lbody, a hollow member mounted in said body and having a-radially-v disposed recess bored therein which 'extends from the outer periphery of said member 'but terminates short of the interior surface thereof, a booster 2charge contained in 'said 'body and surrounding said hollow member,` a detonator normally disposed in saidhollow member in a position remote from said recess, and means adapted to move said detonator into close proximity to said recess after the discharge of the projectile from a gun. i

6. In a fuse for projectiles the combination with a fuse body, of a firing mechanism slidably mounted in said body, a hollow member disposed in said body and having a portion of its wall considerably weaker than the major portion of said wall, a booster charge contained in said body and surrounding said hollow member, a detonator normally disposed in said hollow member and in a position remote from said weakened portion, means adapted to move-Said detonator into close proximity to sai-d` weakened portion after the discharge of the projectile from a gun, and means to preventthe return of said detonator to its original position.,

loir

iso

Ina fuse for vprojectiles the combination with aufuse body, of av firing mechanism slidably mountedinsaid body, a hollow member mounted in saidy body, and having a ra-v dlally-disposed recess formed therein which extends from theouterperiphery of said member but terminates short of the interiorv surface thereof, a booster charge vcontained 1n. saidy body and'V surrounding said hollow lmember, la -detonator. normally disposed in said :hollow membery and yin apposition remote from lsaid recess, means adapted to move vsaid detonator intof close; proximity to said recess after thedischarge of the projectile from a., -1 gun, and means to prevent the return' of saidI detonator to its original position. t

8. vA fuse for projectiles comprising. a body,`a firing mechanism, a hollow member mounted in said body and having a recess which extends from the outer periphery into close proximityy to the interior surface of said member, a ybooster charge contained in said.

body and surrounding said hollow member,

a detonator normallyfdisposed in said hollow7 member-andiny a position remote from said recess, andmeans adapted tor move said detonator into close proximity to #said recess j afterthe discharge ofthe projectile from a a detonator normally-disposed in said hollow' sul l.

9;A'1fusesfor yprojectiles comprising a body, a'ring mechanisima hollow member mounted in said body and ,having va recess which extends from the outer periphery intov close proximity to the interior surface of said membera booster charge contained in said body and surrounding said hollow member,

member and in a AVposition remote 4from said recess, means adapted to move saiddetonator into close proximity tolsaid recess after the discharge of the' projectile from a gun, and meansto prevent the return of said detonator to its original position. y c c 10. A vfuse for projectiles comprising a body, a hollow member mounted in said body, and having a recess formed in the Wall there-l of, a boostercharge contained in said body and surrounding said hollow member, a liring mechanism slidablymounted in said bodyy and including a detonator normally disposed insaid hollow member and infa position re-` mote from said recess, means to'normally prevent the relative movement between the body and said-firing mechanism,l rendered ineffec-` tive upon discharge .of the projectile from a gun, means energized during the acceleration of the projectile for moving lsaid iring mechanism whereby saiddetonator is moved linto close proximity to said recess during the flightv of the projectile, a shoulder formed on.

said body, and meansto prevent the return of said detonator to itsl original position.

11.fA fuse for projectiles con'iprising a body, a striker slidably mounted in said body,

a primer carrier slidably mounted in said body, a safetyl member normally preventing relativel movementbetween the striker and said carrier, means to normally prevent the movement of said carrier relative to said lbody but rendere-d ineffective during the initial acceleration of the projectile, a hollow mein?` Aber mounted in saidbody and having a recessv formed inthe Wallthereof,-a detonator car-l ried by said carrierand'normally disposed inv Said hollow memberin a position remote y from said recess, means energized durlng the initial acceleration ofthe projectile forL mov# ing said carrier relative to said body whereby said detonator'isjmoved in close proximf ity toy said recess, a shoulder formed on said body, and a resilient member fixed to said carrier adapted to pass said shoulder during themovement of the carrier but to engage said shoulder when said movement is com-vn pleted so as to prevent the return of the det- 

